Focus
by Thatoneloserkid
Summary: Clarke meets Lexa when she and Raven try to swindle a little money from her. What they didn't bank on was Lexa being leagues better than both of them. Clarke convinced Lexa to take her under her wing and teach her the tricks of the trade. (essentially a Focus AU because I watched it recently and all I could think was turning it into a clexa AU)
1. Chapter 1

She had always been taught as a kid that stealing was bad. A person who stole was a terrible person and bad things happened to terrible people.

Clarke realised as a teenager that it all boiled down to a matter of circumstances.

Stealing was bad, it was horrible, it wasn't a victimless crime.

Especially when it was large corporations stealing from significantly poorer people.

But Clarke wasn't a large corporation, she was an orphan kid who was just trying to keep her head above water.

So she learned. She learned how to pick up someone's wallet from a table without getting caught, she learned how to pick pocket, how to dip someone's bag.

He best friend, Raven, learned too. She was in the same boat as Clarke, an orphan, so they worked together.

From the age of thirteen they would go out to busy places, malls, sporting events, parks, anywhere there was a lot of people, and they started off making a couple of hundred a day, but they would get busted multiple times a day.

As the years when on they got better, their technique and team work strengthened so they started making more money, which meant they could afford to get into more high profile places which, but extension, meant more money.

It was how they managed to afford their own place after getting kicked out of the orphanage, how they put food on the table and kept the heating on.

It was their livelihood and they were damn good at it.

And, sure, at the beginning, when they were picking marks who were barely scraping by themselves, they would probably be considered terrible people.

But now, with their marks being people who have more then enough money, and people who prayed on lower class people? Clarke liked to think they weren't so bad now.

Not that she cared, she didn't lose any sleep at night, she was dealt a shit hand, watching her parents being murdered in front of her then being thrown into, and getting lost in, the system. Her life had been shit and this was her way of dealing with it.

So she didn't feel bad looking into the eyes of her marks as she took their phone and wallet.

They moved around often, from state to state, always sticking to highly populated areas, that was where they made the most money.

So, at twenty four, they were making a decent profit from each of their marks and had gotten so good that she can't remember the last time they had been made.

Which was why they were both intrigued when the hot girl in the suit made them instantly.

Clarke had spotted her at the beginning to the night, while she was lifting a rich, drunk man's wallet, sitting on her own at a table. She was dressed in a black suit and a red shirt, open a few buttons. Her hair was down but thrown lazily over her shoulder, but she looked good, even in the slightly dishevelled state.

She also looked like she had had a long day so Clarke quickly messaged Raven, while her current mark breathed down her neck, informing her that she may have a new mark and that she should be ready in case the plan went ahead.

Clarke shrugged off the man but he just kept pawing at her, and as much as she looked disgusted this was perfect. She easily lifted his wallet and spinning away, motioning over to the girl in the suit. "That's my girlfriend there. Thank you for the drink."

"Honey," The man tried to grab her arm but she was gone before he could, making her way over to the girl at the table, setting her purse on the table and sitting down.

The girl looked up from her phone, her head tilting curiously at Clarke.

"Will you pretend to be my girlfriend? Just for a few minutes."

The woman frowned, a ghost of a smile on her face. "I suppose I've been called worse," The girl smirked flirtatiously and Clarke had to stop herself from swooning as she stared into the woman's dark, forest green eyes. "But I usually go by Lexa."

"I'm Clarke,"

"And who was he?" Lexa nudged her head in the direction of the man at the bar.

"Someone who couldn't take no for an answer." Clarke answered easily, rolling her eyes dramatically as she leant her elbows on the table, her hands linked together and her chin resting on her fingers, fluttering her eyelashes at Lexa. "Men, right?"

"Men," The woman agreed, and Clarke could feel excitement bubble inside her when Lexa leant her elbows on the table, too, obviously intrigued. "Are you from around here?"

"I'm not really from anywhere." Clarke answered, grinning when Lexa raised an eyebrow questioningly. "I haven't been in a place long enough to make roots, my job has me moving around."

"What do you do?"

"I don't know if I should tell you, wouldn't want to ruin the air of mystery around me."

Lexa's lips hooked up into a smirk at that, "That boring, huh?" She sounded almost challenging, a cheeky smirk on her face.

"I'm a hostess," Clarke lied easily, "I travel from state to state throwing parties for high class clients."

Lexa looked almost impressed as she nodded. "Okay, that's not too bad."

"What do you do?"

Lexa shrugged nonchalantly, leaning back in her chair. "I'm a criminal."

Clarke rolled her eyes with a little snort. "Okay, if you didn't want to tell me all you had to do was say so."

A few minutes turned into almost two hours of flirtatious conversation and fleeting touches. Somewhere in that time Lexa has taken off her jacket and rolled up the sleeves of her red shirt.

"No way," Clarke laughed and for the first time in god knows how long she was laughing genuinely at a mark.

"Way," Lexa grinned. "He yelled at me, called me all kinds of misogynistic names. You should've seen his face when he walked in and I was conducting his interview."

"What did he do?" Clarke asked, genuinely curious how this story played out, her fingertips dancing across the tattoo on Lexa's forearm.

"He went really pale at first, then redder than that lipstick you're wearing. Then he started stuttering out an apology, claiming he had just had a bad day." Lexa shrugged, taking a drink of her wine. "I took one look at his résumé, said that anyone would be stupid to hire someone with such a thin, unimpressed résumé, then had my assistant show him the door."

"Damn," Clarke muttered, her voice dropping a few octaves. "That's kinda hot, actually."

Lexa grinned, opening her mouth to speak but stopped when a credit card was set down in front of her. "Thank you, Doctor Keenan." The barman smile politely, but both Lexa and Clarke knew that was an indication that the bar was closing.

"Doctor, huh?"

Lexa shrugged nonchalantly. "Is there somewhere I can walk you?"

"I'm staying here, actually." Clarke grinned, arching her eyebrows half questioningly half challengingly.

And that's how she ended up with her front pressed against the door of her room, Lexa pressed again her back, kissing her neck while Clarke fumbling to unlock the door.

"I hope you're better with your hands than this," Lexa whispered just before the door swung open and Clarke shoved her into the room, slamming the door and advancing on Lexa.

"You have no idea what these hands are capable of."

Lexa smirked seductively as she took a seat on the edge of the bed, leaning back on her elbows, eyebrow cocked and hands raised challengingly. "Impress me,"

Never, in all of her years of doing this, had Clarke been attracted to a mark, but there was just something about this woman, an easy sex appeal that Clarke found ridiculously attractive.

So she advanced on Lexa, climbing onto her lap as Lexa sat up straight, allowing the woman to cup her ass, effectively stopping her from tumbling backwards off of her lap.

Then they were kissing again, all biting, teeth clanking, hair pulling, and Clarke can't remember the last time she had been kissed like this. Years, for sure. Probably back when she was sixteen and dated that girl Niylah.

Clarke pulled at Lexa's bottom lip, dragging her teeth along it before pushing Lexa back, smirking down at her as she ran her hand through her own hair, throwing it lazily out of the way and pulled the straps of her dress down, watching almost smugly when Lexa watched the movement attentively.

They started Kissing again, Clarke's hands planted on the bed beside Lexa's head while Lexa's were pressed against her lower back.

Then the door burst opened and Clarke knew it was time to act. She quickly scrambled off of Lexa, looking panicked at Raven who had a gun levelled on Lexa.

"That's my wife,"

"Are you fucking serious, Clarke. Again!"

"I-"

"Shut up," Raven snapped, pointing over at Clarke who immediately shut up, eyeing Lexa who looked... Amused?

"Give me one good reason not to shoot you?" Raven growled, jabbed the gun in Lexa's direction.

Lexa pouted thoughtfully, one arm tucking under her head. "You know, I'm drawing a blank."

"She isn't messing around, Lexa. She's done hard time." Clarke sounded distressed but something in the way Lexa was acting was strange, like she knew this was a stick up?

"I'll do it, I'll kill you."

"Do it?"

"Lexa!"

"You have no idea what I was about to do to her. All kinds of nasty stuff."

"Shut up!" Raven snapped.

"What kinds of stuff are we talking about?" Clarke asked curiously.

"She would have been ruined for anyone after that."

Clarke knew for sure that Lexa knew this was a hustle when she started talking about Raven doing her a favour, something about a tumour the size of a golf ball.

Clarke fell back onto her hunches, a little bummed that they'd been made.

"She knows, Raven." Clarke grumbled, and Raven looked between her best friend and the smirking woman on the bed before lowering her gun.

"You guys suck," Lexa laughed.

"Just give us the money," Clarke grumbled.

"Or?" Lexa prompted.

"She'll shot you in the neck."

"I don't wanna shoot a chick with cancer," Raven argued.

"She doesn't have cancer, Reyes!"

"You both really fucked this up. For one you have to wait until I have my pants off then you come bursting in, that way I would have been a lot more panicked, I'm more likely to take off without my wallet then." Lexa advised. "And you never drop the act. You never break. Regardless of what happens, you have to adapt."

"When did you make us?" Clarke muttered, watching Lexa as she stood up, fixing her shirt and grabbing her suit jacket.

"When you lifted that drunk losers wallet at the bar."

Clarke recoiled, "Then why did you come up here?"

"Professional curiosity," Lexa shrugged, pulling on her jacket. "Plus you're hot, so, win-win."

Clarke rolled her eyes at that.

"The lift was awful, you're all thumbs, sweetheart."

"Excuse me?" Clarke looked offended, a growl forming on her brow. "That was a good lift."

"Nope, you were too heavy."

"I got his wallet, didn't I?" Clarke shot back.

"You could have extracted his modulars without him realising he was so wasted." Lexa rolled her eyes, making for the door. "You suck." She called as she left.

"Fuck you!" Clarke shot back, huffing out a breath when the door clicked closed.

"She was..." Raven started, pausing thoughtfully. "Obnoxiously hot."

"That was a good lift."

Raven eyed her best friend, shaking her head as she laughed at the woman. "She got under your skin."

"No she didn't! I just know that that was a good lift!"

"Okay," Raven laughed, motioning back to the door with her unloaded gun. "Take off, I've got a girl coming here on about ten minutes."

"Who?" Clarke asked, shuffling off the bed and grabbing her jacket. "Same girl?"

"Yup," Raven hummed.

"You know her name yet?"

"Blake," Raven shrugged. "Doesn't matter though, it's just a little fun while we are both in town. I think she's leaving tomorrow."

"Okay," Clarke pulled on her heavy jacket, giving Raven a little pat on the shoulder. "Go get'em tiger."

"Maybe I should've left you and the suit a little longer, you need to get laid, too." Raven teased as Clarke left the room.

"Bite me,"

"If you play your card right, maybe." Raven called from the doorway.

Clarke flipped Raven off as she entered the elevator, smiling at the man standing beside her.

She easily took his wallet as they both attempted to leave the elevator at the same time.

She stuffed her hands into the pockets of her jacket as she walked back to the apartment she and Raven were renting for a short amount of time.

"You really should be more aware," a voice said, stopped her in her tracks. But once she realised who it was she kept on talking. "I've been behind you for two blocks."

"That's some Christen Grey level creepy there." Clarke grumbled, still feeling a little bummed out. She didn't even look back at Lexa as she continued walking. "And I don't have eyes on the back of my head, how was I supposed to see you?"

"If you're gonna get in this game, maybe you should grow a pair."

"I can take care of myself." Clarke snapped.

"Nah, you're gonna get hurt." Lexa disagreed. "Let me buy you coffee?"

"It is almost midnight." Clarke argued, turning to glare at Lexa, who smiled, shrugging her shoulders halfheartedly.

"Decaf?" Clarke eyed Lexa curiously, rolling her eyes when Lexa smiled, nudging her head in the direction of the local coffee shop. "I'll buy you a cookie."

Clarke agreed, not because of the cookie or the coffee but because she was curious. She knew she and Raven were good, if they weren't they would be broke and in prison right now, so she wanted to know who the hell this woman was and how she made them so quickly.

They ended up in a dingy little cafe, sitting by the window, Clarke with her decaf and Lexa with her expresso.

"What?" Lexa questioned when Clarke just stared over at her.

Clarke wasn't sure if she wanted to ask who the hell she was or why the fuck she was drinking an expresso this late.

"Who are you?" She settled for, because that was the more pressing question right now.

"Lexa. Woods, Lexa Woods." Lexa offered. "Not doctor anything."

"And you're a what? Lure, roper?"

"Both. Anything I need to be." Lexa answered easily.

"No one can be anything." Clarke shot back disbelievingly.

"You can if you grew up in the business."

"You grew up in this?"

"Mhm, my dad worked with my grandfather." Lexa leant her elbow on the table, rolling her bottom lip between her forefinger and thumb, eyeing Clarke across the table. "My father and grandfather used to go for big risk jobs, nothing else, I'm talking your mobsters in Boston, gangsters in LA, at one point they even hustled the mafia, couldn't come back to New York after that." Lexa spoke, looking up at Clarke who was staring at her attentively, obviously hanging on ever word she was saying. "One day they get made by a mobbed up guy, guns come out, stand off, you know? Ten guys, all of which with guns grades above my father's and grandfather's, there was no way this could end other than my father and grandfather dead. No way out, except one." Clarke bobbed her head as she spoke, sitting forward in her seat. "You ever heard of the Toledo Panic Button?"

There was a minute little head shake from Clarke.

"So, all these guys, guns on my father and grandfather, thinking they are dirty and working together, there was only one way for my father to prove he wasn't. He turned to my grandfather and shot him, proves you're not together,"

"You kill your partner?" Clarke asked incredulously.

"Well, you hope you don't, do it right and you don't."

"Does it work?" Clarke questioned curiously.

"Well, my father has been made four times, survived all four."

"So, your father killed your grandfather?"

Lexa nodded, "That's the kind of world you are in, dabblers get killed."

"Look, I wasn't born into this like you. I was just the foster kid who watched her parents die. I didn't go to school, I had no prospects, no future. Honestly, we should just be thankful I'm not a hooker right now."

Lexa huffed out a laugh at that, leaning back on her chair.

"Tutor me," Clarke requested, and Lexa frowned, shaking her head.

"No,"

"Why not?" Clarke snapped.

"I'm heading out of town, tomorrow."

"Look, I can pay you if that's what the problem is." Clarke rushed to grab the wallet in her pocket, taking out the couple of hundred that was in there.

Lexa was frowning at the black leather in her hand. "Whose wallet is that?"

"Uh," Clarke pulled out one of the ID cards. "Doctor Jason Patrick." She answered with a shrug, stuffing it back into her pocket.

Lexa sighed, but Clarke could tell that she had her, so she grinned. "Come on, then."

They ended up in the clearing behind the cafe, "Okay, we'll make this quick, it's cold." Lexa shrugged her jacket off as she advanced on Clarke. "I'm going to teach you a few necessary touches, but at the end of the day…" She handed Clarke her jacket as she spoke. "This is all about focus."

Clarke frowned when Lexa held up her ring, glancing down he hand to see that her ring was, in fact, gone. "How did you…" Clarke huffed, snatching her ring back and thrusting Lexa's jacket back at her, placing the ring back onto her finger.

Lexa smirked smugly, throwing her jacket onto the railing and taking ahold of both of Clarke's hands.

"The thing about focus is that it's like a spot light and our job," Lexa pulled Clarke a little closer, holding on hand up and forcing Clarke to spin under it, holding up the woman watch when she was facing her again. "Is to dance in the darkness."

Clarke grabbed her watch, an amused, and impressed, smile on her lips. "I didn't feel you take that."

"The brain, it is nowhere need as great as we make it out to be," Lexa continued, holding up Clarke's ring. Again.

"Jesus. When—?" She took the ring back, placing it back on her finger.

"It can't multitask," Lexa turned to walk over to her jacket, throwing Clarke's wallet over her shoulder.

"How did you get that?!"

"You take Zumba?" She asked, holding up a zumba card from Clarke's wallet.

"You think it's easy keeping a body like this?" Clarke grabbed the card, stuffing that and her wallet into her pocket.

"You think with your hand, you can't do that, you have to get into the marks head, see what they're seeing, see things from their perspective. As much as people want to be different, human behaviour is very predictable." Lexa held up her hands as she walked closer to Clarke again, drawing Clarke's attention to them. "If I look at my hands, it naturally pulled your attention to them, too." Lexa moved to stand beside Clarke, her front pressing against Clarke's back as she held her hand out in front of the blonde girl.

Clarke stared down at her empty hand, wondering what this could possible have to do with anything.

"But, when I look at you," Lexa moved so that she was now standing in front of Clarke, their eyes meeting not two seconds later. "It causes you to look up at me, all you see it me."

Lexa glanced down at herself, which prompted Clarke to do the same, the blonde woman doing a double take when she noticed her sun glasses hooked into Lexa's shirt. She huffed, trying not to look impressed as she snatched them back. "Adorable." She tried to sound exasperated. Judging by the smug look on Lexa's face she failed.

"Touches are important, I touch you here," Lexa touched Clarke's right shoulder, slipping her phone out of her pocket easily. "I steal from here. I touch you here," She touched Clarke's left hip this time, taking her keys from her right front pocket, throwing them up for Clarke to catch. "I steal from here. I step here," Lexa grinned, looking downright gleeful and playful at this point. "You aren't going to slap me, are you?"

"Why?" Clarke asked carefully.

"You would if you knew where my hands was."

It took a few seconds, but Clarke slowly registered the pressure and warmth on her ass, prompting her to halfheartedly push Lexa away, with an eye roll, only to be taken completely my surprise when Lexa held up her handbag. She quickly glanced at her shoulder, because she still didn't really believe she could have taken that without her noticing. But she had, and Clarke was impressed. And maybe a little turned on.

"Okay," She pulled her bag out of a laughing Lexa's hands. "I get it. I get it."

"You get their focus," Lexa spoke, her voice dropping a few octaves to that same, flirtatious tone from earlier that night. "You can take whatever you want." She stared into Clarke's eyes for a few seconds, the smouldering look transforming into a smug look when she held up Clarke's ring.

Clarke couldn't stop the laugh that escaped her lips then, allowing Lexa to slide it back into her finger.

Lexa gave her a wink, and gave her hand a little squeeze.

"Be safe, okay?" She said before moving to grab her jacket, and Clarke watched her go, half expected the girl to throw her wallet at her, or even her bra. But she didn't, she just walked onto the main road and took a left.

Clarke decided it was her turn to do a little tailing, following the woman to her hotel.

She waited until Lexa had been inside for a good ten minutes, texting Raven in the meantime, telling her they were leaving tomorrow, to where, she wasn't sure yet.

She prepared herself, pulling on her best 'scorned wife' face and stormed inside, her phone to her eat as she marched up to the front desk.

"No, she is fucking there, I know it! And she's here with that — that skank." She growled, taking the young boy behind the desk completely by surprise. Clarke levelled him with a glare. "Lexa Woods, when is she checking out?"

"Ma'am, I'm sorry, we can't—"

"No, listening to me, kid, do you know what it feels like to know your wife is taking her bit on the side to fancy hotels like this when she only takes me, her wife, to travelodges?" Clarke's eyes welled up, and she could see the boy start to panic. "Please, kid, I need to know?"

The boy nodded quickly, typing away on the computer. "She — there isn't a Lexa Wood's here, ma'am."

Clarke faltered, not sure what to do next. Then a name popped into her head.

"Of course they book it under her name. She is so fucking sly. How about Doctor Keenan?"

The boy looked unsure, glancing away before typing in the name.

"Yes, there is a Doctor Maria Keenan here, she is set to check out at seven tomorrow morning, she has booked our sister hotel in New Orleans,"

"Huh, New Orleans." Clarke nodded, not bothering to say anything else to the confused boy behind the desk, quickly leaving before Lexa made her. Again.

Clarke picked Raven up the following morning, flashing the sleepy girl a smile, which had her glaring suspiciously.

"What..?"

"I think I've found out in to the big leagues." Clarke answered with a grin.

"Oh, god." Raven grumbled, leaning back in her seat as Clarke pulled away from the curb. "What half-baked plan do you have now?"

"Trust me, this plan is flawless."

"They always are," Raven muttered disbelievingly, looking entirely unimpressed as she stared out of the window. "Where are we going?"

"New Orleans,"

"You know what? I don't even wanna know what you have planned." Raven laughed, leaning her head against the window and closing her eyes. "Wake me once we get there."


	2. Chapter 2

"The girl we tried to hustle?" Raven gaped incredulously. "The suit, that is our in?"

"Mhm,"

"And she just agreed?"

"Well, not yet, but she will."

"You haven't asked?" Raven huffed. "You drove here for nothing, she isn't going to agree to help us, Clarke."

"She will,"

"She can't be seduced, Clarke. You saw how she was the other night, she shut you right down, and if she could do that while you were wearing that little black dress then she isn't going to cave."

"I'm not going seduce her."

"That's literally the only play you have, Clarke." Raven said. "And even that play is ruined when you open your mouth."

"Okay, one; fuck you, I can be sexy. And two how did I do so well as a kid, I wasn't sexy at thirteen." Clarke challenged and Raven rolled her eyes.

"You cannot be sexy, not on cue anyway." Raven disagreed. "What are you planning?"

"We are going to impress her."

"Were you there last night? She was the furthest thing from impressed."

"That hustle was crap, an old trick, we will just have to show her how good we are at everything else."

"I think you just have a crush on this chick and now your stalking her." Raven teased, smirking at Clarke.

"What happened to that girl you were with last night?" Clarke shot back.

Raven shrugged, shuffling in her seat. "She left early this morning, so did we."

"That's it?"

"Kinda has to be."

That had Clarke frowning. "Did you want it to be over?"

Raven glared over at Clarke like she always would when Clarke tried to have a heart to heart with her. The only time they had heart to hearts was when they were drunk, and they never ever spoke about it when sober.

"God, you are so closed off." Clarke grumbled.

"Coming from you," Raven shot back and Clarke hummed, glancing into the review mirror at the entrance of the hotel. "You are stalking a girl and claiming it has nothing to do with wanting to bang her."

"We aren't stalking her,"

"What would you call following her from New York to New Orleans, waiting outside a hotel for her to come out to follow her to her next destination?"

Clarke opened her mouth, holding her finger up, wracking her brain for any kind of alternate explanation. She snapped her mouth closer, lowering her finger and nodding. "Okay, when you say it like that it sounds creepy."

"How can you say it without it sounding creepy?"

"I am pursuing business adventures,"

"You're pursuing something, that's for sure."

"Oh, there she is." Clarke sat up a little straighter, peering at Lexa through the mirror.

Lexa was still dressed smart, a pair of grey suit pants, a white shirt and a black waistcoat, her suit jacket thrown over her arms as she walked, her head high, an air of confidence bordering of arrogance about her.

Raven snorted at Clarke.

"Well, you follow her, I'm going to check us in and get some dinner, you want me to get you anything?"

"Burger. Any kind of burger."

"Okay," Raven nodded, both of them climbing out of the car, Raven giving Clarke's back a little pat. "Don't get arrested, creeper."

Clarke rolled her eyes, sliding her glasses over her eyes, making sure to keep a good bit behind Lexa and on the opposite side of the road. It dawned on her as she walked that maybe this was a little more creepy than she had initially thought, it wasn't okay to just follow someone to a different state, but she kept walking, following Lexa to, not surprisingly, the racetrack.

She followed Lexa inside after a few minutes, easily spotting her in the crowd of other suits. She had her back to Clarke, occupied with her ticket and the race so Clarke took the opportunity to sneak up behind her, easily lifting her wallet from her back pocket (which, really, Lexa should know better) and slipping off.

Lexa spent and lost a lot of money, staying at the track for a good two hours before leaving, Clarke quickly on her heels.

Her next stop was a pretty fancy looking restaurant, And Clarke decided it was here she was going to confront Lexa (and if she just so happened to get a free meal out of it, then it was a win-win).

She marched over to the table, dropping Lexa's wallet on the surface in front of her. The girl didn't even flinch. "My subway loyalty card better still be in there."

"Come on, admit it, you're impressed." Clarke huffed. "I lifted your wallet and followed you here."

"Stalking isn't that impressive. Also, a racetrack is the prefect place to pick out a mark, of course I would be there." Lexa shot back with an easy shrug. "Places like that are sucker central."

"The Super Bowl is here in a few weeks, that's why you are in New Orleans." Clarke said and Lexa actually looked somewhat impressed at her deducting skills. "We want in."

"I could be here to watch the game, my team is playing."

"You are here for a big score, and we want in."

"I'm all crewed up, Blue-eyes."

"Oh, come on. Please! Lexa, would you…" Clarke grabbed Lexa's arm as she started standing up. "Can we just skip the part where I speak through from thinly veiled allure and lead you to believe there is some earth-shattering hump in the works? 'Cause I am shit at that kinda stuff. I just want in."

Lexa looked a little taken aback, "There's no earth-shattering hump in the works?"

"No," Clarke answered with an eye roll.

"I don't even get thinly veiled allure,"

"No,"

"No sexy voice? No lingering eye contact?"

"I am hopeless at that kinda stuff."

Lexa looked genuinely disappointed, and a little playful. "That's all my favourite shit."

"I'm sorry," Clarke played along, a ghost of a smile on her lip as she shrugged.

"I think one piece of professional advice I would give you is learn. Fast."

"Well, I mean, you could…" Clarke leant forward in her chair, looking at Lexa through her eyelashes as she tried to pull off the 'sexy' look Raven seemed to be able to pull off so effortlessly. "You could show me, I am a very fast learner."

Lexa didn't even look slightly effect by it, she actually looked a little sorry for Clarke. "That is so bad."

"Is it?"

"Does it feel sexy to you?"

"A little," Clarke grumbled with a sheepish little shrug.

"It does," Lexa sounded surprised, dropping money onto the table and standing up. "Okay, let's go."

"Wait, where? Are we in?"

"No," Lexa answered simple, leading Clarke over to a girl, probably a little younger that Clarke. "This is Octavia."

"Hello, Clarke." Octavia greeted. "Lexa told me you were coming."

Clarke's head whipped around to Lexa, who was grinning smugly. "How did you know?"

"You're predictable,"

"You're such a dick," Clarke huffed, gently punching Lexa's arm, causing the girl to laugh.

"That's actually something she heard a lot." Octavia commented. "Let's go."

"Wait, I have a Raven." Clarke said, gaining a funny look from both women. "No, I have a friend Raven, she is the best computer specialist you could ask for, and she is pretty good on the field, too."

"Okay, call her up, have her meet us on the main strip." Octavia said, letting her eyes roll down Clarke's body. "What size are you?"

—

Raven met then at the main strip, her footsteps faltering when her eyes landed on the woman with Clarke.

Clarke glanced between the girls, Octavia looked equally shocked.

"Okay, is this what love at first sight looks like." Clarke teased, gaining a glare from Raven.

"Shut up," Raven grumbled, eyeing the hot pink dress Octavia had squeezed Clarke into. It looked good, hugged Clarke's curves in all the right places, and it was just so not Clarke's style. "What are you wearing?"

"Octavia made me wear it,"

"Octavia?" Raven arched her eyebrows questioningly.

"Blake. Octavia Blake." Octavia clarified, giving Raven a questioning look of her own. "Raven?"

"Raven Reyes."

"Okay, when you are both done with…" Clarke waved her hands in the direction of the girls. "What ever this is, could you maybe tell me why I'm wearing this?"

"Because no one will be looking at your hands when you're in that." Octavia shrugged.

"Where is the suit?" Raven asked.

"She's watching, don't worry." Octavia lead them into a canopied area where the rest of her crew was.

"I can't breath," Clarke muttered but no one seemed to care.

"First, we stick to rick folks," Octavia commanded. "No one with a care or a wheelchair, that's bad luck." She motioned to the boy standing beside her, "Lincoln is the shade and Anya is the stick." Both of the people standing alongside Octavia just stared at Clarke and Raven. "All eyes on me until I make the mark. Once I fan him, I tug my lapel. Two fingers means a prat poke, three means the leather's an insider. If it's a cordon or an ox tongue, I'll scratch my nose. Unless I use my thumb then I'm actually scratching my nose. Left or right tail I'll cock my head, but keister kicks are ninety-nine percent of it. So you just do the touch and I ding the poke in the nearest mailbox, okay?"

Both Raven and Clarke were staring at Octavia with open moths, confusion clear in their eyes. "You lost me at shade and stick." Clarke admitted.

Octavia took a second to collected herself. "Okay, plan B." She caught both Lincoln and Anya's eye. "Lincoln, take Clarke, Anya stand by, Reyes with me."

"She likes to act tough," Lincoln commented as he and Clarke made their was into the crowed,Clarke holding onto his arm. "She's not, though, neither of them are."

"Have you known them long?"

"Lexa and Anya are my sisters, our mom took Octavia in when she was a kid."

"Your mom was a con too, right? She and your father were like that best duo out there."

"Mhm," Lincoln hummed, peering at Octavia over everyones heads, nodding when she gave a signal. "Okay, the guy with the camera. You ask him for directions, I take the lens, got it?" Lincoln handed Clarke the map he had in his back pocket, placing a hand on her lower back and guiding her in the direction of the mark. "His wallet is in his back left pocket."

"Excuse me, sorry, hi." Clarke opened the map, holding it so that the mans view of his camera was obscured. "We are so lost, can you help us find the penthouse club?"

Lincoln smiled at the man, easily unlatching the camera lens. Clarke used the distraction to easily slip his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans, both she and Lincoln slipping what they'd gotten into Raven's bag as she walked past.

"You don't need that, it is just at the end of this street." The man answered with a smile.

"Okay, thank you. Lets go, honey." Clarke flipped her hair over her shoulder, pulling Lincoln away and over to Octavia.

"Impressive," Octavia nodded, nodding in the direction of the crowed again. "Ponytail is your mark, back right pocket." She ordered, giving Lincoln and Anya a signal that Clarke knew she would need to learn if she was going to be anything in this game.

She set off for the mark, waiting for Lincoln to 'accidentally' bump into him, sliding the wallet out of his pocket and dumping it onto the map Anya was pretending to read.

She was getting excited now, a giddy feeling bubbling in her chest like it always would when she was on a roll.

"Uh oh," Raven grinned when she made her way over to the crew. "She's got that look."

"We've got this one," Clarke grinned at Raven pulling her away from the group without waiting for confirmation.

The thing that probably made her and Raven so good together was their ability to speak without words. Clarke could just give Raven a look and she seemed to understand completely what Clarke was saying.

So, Raven was there waiting when Clarke easily picked the woman's purse from her bag with a pair of chopsticks, and she was there to catch the fanny pick of the man Clarke had 'accidentally' spilled soda over (he couldn't stop staring at her cleavage. Maybe the dress was a good idea). And Clarke was there when Raven took a man's wallet from the inside pocket of his suit and stole the phone from a guys hand. Anya, Lincoln and Octavia were there too, taking the stuff they had gotten from one mark before they moved onto another.

They moved onto their final mark, a group of guys. Clarke knew Lexa had to be watched from somewhere so she decided to take a risk in the hopes of showing off. She pretended to stumbled, on hand landing on the mans abs while the other landed on his wrist, she fumbled a little but she managed to undo his watch without much bother (she may have practiced on Raven on the drive here. One hand on the wheel the other undoing her watch over and over), she pretended to pat his back once her found her footing, giving Raven the opportunity to grab the watch.

"Oh, you have beautiful eyes," She commented, throwing his arm over her shoulder, looking down at his hand as she went for his wallet. "Married?" She took his wallet while he was distracted, throwing it in Raven's direction. "I'm sorry. Bye bye, boys." She said in the sexiest voice she could, spinning out from under the man's arm, slipping off his wedding ring as she done so.

She walked back toward Octavia, following her eye-line when she noticed Octavia was looking up, an impressed pout on her lips. Lexa was up on a balcony, her face neutral but she smiled when Clarke held up the ring and winked.

Octavia met them at the entrance of the house Lexa was in. "That was impressive, that connection is something that only comes from years of working together."

"Well, we have been working together for years." Clarke shrugged, grinned when she noticed Octavia's eyes didn't stray from Raven.

"There's nothing hotter than watching someone work." Octavia said in a gruff voice.

"Easy there, Octavia." Lexa laughed, making her way other to the group, sliding her glasses into the pocket of her waistcoat.

"Were you impressed?" Clarke arched her eyebrows challengingly, her chin tilted upward confidently.

"It was okay," Lexa shrugged, "The watch lift was a little bit fumbly but it was fine."

Clarke scoffed, "You were impressed." She grumbled.

"I'm sure we can work with those heavy hands."

Clarke's eyes lit up, a large grin stretching across her lips. "We're in?"

"You're in,"

Clarke grinned, turning to high-five Raven.

"Congrats, you are criminals." Octavia grumbled sarcastically, leading them a little more into the house.

"Okay, now what?" Clarke asked giddily.

"Want me to do the primer?" Octavia asked but Lexa shook her head.

"I got it, you just get everyone, including Raven, into place. Brief her, too." Lexa said, leading Clarke out of the house while Raven lingered behind with everyone else.

"The thing about events like this is that hotels are filled with people, all in the lobby waiting to be checking. Whoever isn't here for the Super Bowl is here for the party." Lexa explained, leading Clarke to the entrance a few doors over, lingering outside for a few minutes, only entering after the rest of the crew had. "Every one of these people are looking to earn big, bet big, and cheat on their spouses, and it all costs money. There are boost teams at every major hotel. They hit quick and get out before anyone realises what happened."

Clarke was listening attentively to Lexa, so she was surprised when she suddenly stopped and began yelling.

"And if you think for one second I'm going to let your mother talk to me like that, you are fucking crazy." Lexa yelled out of nowhere, startling Clarke into silence, her eyes wide. Everyone in the lobby turned to look at them. "I'm a grown-ass woman!"

"Why are you yelling at me?" Clarke asked in a quiet voice.

Lexa huffed a breath through her nose and held her hand up, and marched off toward the elevators. Clarke frowned, ignoring the stares they were getting and rushed after her.

"What the fuck was that!"

"There's card games everywhere," Lexa continued like that hadn't just happened, leading Clarke past the elevators and into the casino area. It was janky, probably not up to code, but Clarke was too distracted by what had just happened to really notice. "And they let anyone with enough cash in." Lexa motioned toward a guy sitting at the table, curly black hair and freckles, "That's Bellamy, he is wearing a contact lens that allows him to see the invisible ink that is on the back of the cards he swapped in at the beginning."

Clarke watched curiously as he won the hand, probably for the multiple time in a row if the reaction from the table was anything to go by.

"Hell, I'm positive there are at least ten people in this hotel pulling the same shit you tried to pull on me," Lexa lead her out of the casino. "Your down fall is that I wasn't married, you always go for married men and women, who they gonna tell?"

Clarke smiled over at Lexa as she spoke.

"Every minute there is something going down at big events like these, it is a hunting ground for con men. Bar, restaurants, hotels, guaranteed to have a con going on. You'll have team, people working alone, and it isn't just theft either. Identity theft, card spoofing."

Clarke followed Lexa back out of the hotel and into a car, hanging on Lexa's every word.

"You can skim the data off of a credit card in seconds with the right machine, and have the card back in the owners possession, that way you actually have time to get money from them before they cancel the card." Lexa explained, throwing the car into drive and pulling out of the parking lot. "I'm going to show you HQ."

Clarke nodded slowly, her lips quirking up into a little smile. "I'm gonna need you to repeat some of that, I didn't really take it in."

"Which part?"

"All of it." Lexa glared over at Clarke who laughed. "I'm kidding, I got most of it."

"I'm going to regret taking you on," Lexa grumbled, one hand on the wheel while the other rested on the gear stick.

"So, what was the yelling about?"

"Oh, the crew lifted at least ten bags in that few seconds we had everyone distracted, everyone loves a good domestic." Lexa grinned cheekily, "Your confused face is cute though."

"Oh, fuck off." Clarke grumbled. "You could've warned me."

"What's the fun in that?" Lexa's lips hooked up into smirk and she side eyed Clarke.

"Where's Raven?"

"She's at HQ, Octavia needed her."

"I bet," Clarke muttered, grinning when Lexa chuckled.

"Yeah, Octavia doesn't usually sneak out to see someone." Lexa commented. "We were on a job when they met, we are hustling a casino and Raven was at a table. She is what we called a card mechanic, or a shark, it was a simple thing, slight of hand but, according to Octavia, she was damn good at it, one of the best she had ever seen. I think she was smitten from the get go."

"Raven is pretty closed off and she is adamant that it isn't anything but a few nights of just sex."

"Do you think that's all it is?" Lexa asked and Clarke shrugged.

"Raven and I, we grew up together in an orphanage, Christian orphanage I might add."

"Ah, a good Christian girl, huh?" Lexa smirked over at her.

"Furthest thing from it." Clarke shot back, "Anyway, we've known each other for years, since we were, like, five, we are essentially family now, and as long as I've known here she's never really been smitten by anyone but when I asked her about Octavia she got more closed off than usual."

"So you don't think she is into Octavia?"

"That's not what I'm saying, she is definitely into her, but she is just…"

"Closed off?"

"For lack of better phrasing," Clarke hummed. "I dunno, I guess I've never really seen Raven interested in anyone. Then again we've never really had time to be. We've constantly been fighting to keep her heads above water, you know?" Clarke leant her head back again the seat and let it loll to the side, allowing her eyes skim over the entirety of Lexa's frame, taking in the tattoo what was poking over from under her rolled up shirt sleeve. "It hasn't been until this part year, year and a half that we've been able to relax a little bit."

"Is this what you do?" Lexa asked. "Conning is your main source of income?"

"It's the only thing we are good at,"

"Well, it is a very profitable thing to be good at."

They pulled up outside a tall office building and took the lift to the top floor. Octavia met them at the door, ushering her to get her photo taken, for what she wasn't entirely sure, but she smiled for the camera anyway, following after Lexa as Octavia muttered about getting something made.

"So, we are about thirty strong, everybody gets a percentage." Lexa explained as they walked around the loft area filled with stolen suitcases, bags and electronics, and also people filling bag with cash, probably from all the stolen wallets littering the place. "We cover bribes and fall money for anyone who gets caught."

Lexa weaved her way through tables, all seemingly tasked with a different job. Clarke followed along looking around, somewhat amazing at what a well oils machine this seemed to be.

"The shopaholics here," She motioned to tables with people in front of computers, all wearing headsets. "They buy Merchandise which we resell on the gray market. Yesterday we bought two hundred MacBook Airs…"

Lexa trailed off when she noticed Clarke wasn't really listening anymore, too distracted by a necklace she spotting on a table, a pretty crystal encrusted one, with a blue sapphire dangling from it, that stone bracketed with two more sapphires.

"This is beautiful," Clarke breathed, tentatively taking the necklace in between her finger and thumb, slowly lifting it to her neck. "Do you think I could…"

"No," Lexa cut in with a firm shake of her head, taking the necklace from Clarke, who stared sadly after it. "We sell everything, no chances taken."

Clarke pouted up at Lexa as she set the necklace back on the pillow but Lexa just grinned over at her and began walking away. Clarke petulantly followed.

"So, what about the big con? I thought you were all about the big time?" Clarke asked, her eyes twinkling with mirth.

"Oh, you mean the one where we make so much money we retire to a yachts and all get boob jobs?" Clarke nodded and Lexa shook her head. "Nah, that's a fantasy. We are in the volume business, safer that way."

Just as Lexa said that there was the sound of a machine counting what could easily have been a few thousand dollars. Lexa peeked back into the make-shift room. "Hey, Aden, I need a dime. I got bit at the track."

The boy, he couldn't have been out of his teenage years, rolled his eyes, taking a stack of cash and throwing it at Lexa. He opened his mouth to say something but Lexa held her hand up.

"Don't wanna hear it, kid."

Clarke peeked into the room, her mouth dropped at the amount of money lying on the tables.

"You have a problem,"

"I have may problems, you being one of them." Lexa shot back, but there was no bite to her words.

"You would be nothing without me," Aden snorted and Lexa laughed.

"Sure, kid." Lexa muttered, leaving the area.

"How does a kid that young get into this?" Clarke asked, rushing after Lexa.

"He's my brother," Lexa answered, shrugging when Clarke frowned. "Kind of, not biologically. My only biological siblings are Lincoln and Anya but Octavia came to us pretty young, so did Aden, both about five years apart. I guess it is like you and Raven, we are as good as sibling."

Clarke nodded understandingly, following Lexa past tables of people emptying bags, probably from the job in the hotel lobby earlier that days.

Honestly, Clarke was a little overwhelmed when they came to the end of the tour, between the money, the electronics, the expensive jewellery, she was a little over stimulated, an excited feeling bubbling in her chest like it would during jobs.

"Have a look around, I need to go sort some stuff you." Lexa gave Clarke a tightlipped smile and headed off toward Lincoln, who was situated at a computer.

Clarke strolled through the tabled, eyeing the expensive clothes and electronics before coming to a stop at the shoes, her fingertips skimming across the leather but her eyes weren't on the shoes, instead she watched Lexa.

Lexa was bend over to look at the screen, she was in full boss mode, saying something to Lincoln before giving the girl across from him an order. She glanced back down at Lincoln's screen before locking eyes with Clarke, seemingly knowing the blonde had been staring at her.

A coy little smile pulled onto Clarke's lips, her pointer finger playing with her bottom lip, which seemed to get Lexa's attention, her head tilting a little to the left, a smirk of her own slowly appearing on her lips, which told Clarke she had actually managed to put across that she was attempting to flirt.

She glanced away, still playing it coy, tucking her hair behind her ear and pretending to glanced over the shoes again for a few seconds, but when she looked up again Lexa was gone, which, whatever, Clarke wasn't disappointed.

She made her way out of the 'business' section of the loft, walking over to one of the floor to ceiling floor window that made up an entire wall, looking over the skyline of New Orleans,

"Clean card, clean ID, everything you need." A voice said and a set of documents marrying the photo she had taken earlier were in front of her. She knew by the tattoo on the forearm that it was Lexa.

"Thank you," Clarke accepted the documents, turning to lean back against the window, Lexa resting her shoulder against it in that easily cool fashion she seemed to just ooze.

"Don't thank me yet," Lexa fixed one of the upturned cuffs on her shirt as she spoke, looking at Clarke through her eyelashes, a little smile on her lips. "Got a lot of work to do. Tough week ahead."

"I know," Clarke admitted, averting her eyes to the floor for a few seconds, that same coy smile from earlier tugging onto her lips when she looked up, trying to channel her inner Raven and put on her best 'sexy' eyes. It might have been working, judging by the almost aroused look in Lexa's eyes. "So, what now?"

"There's a key card in there, I got you another place. I think you'll like it."

"Wow, thanks." Clarke glanced down at the papers in her hand."Do you know how I can get a cab there?"

The way Lexa's lips twitched told Clarke that she knew Clarke had no intention of getting a cab anywhere, that she knew Clarke was expecting Lexa to offer her a ride. Lexa took a few seconds, glancing out of the window thoughtfully before returning her eyes to Clarke, "I can give you a ride."

"Yeah, that'd be great." A flirtatious smile appeared on Clarke's lips, her eyes hooded as she peered over at Lexa. "If that's okay with you?"

"It's fine with me," Lexa pushed herself off the glass, taking a step closer to Clarke, grinning at the way Clarke seemed to panic. "Is it okay with you?"

"Yeah," Clarke swallowed, pulling back the flirtatious air she had previously.

"You sure?" Lexa raised her eyebrow questioningly, taking another step closer to Clarke.

This time Clarke didn't panic, a playful grin pulling onto her lips. "You seem like a pretty good driver."

"You can count of me,"

"Can I?" Clarke tilted her head to the side, twisting a strand of hair around her finger.

"Most would say no,"

"Mmh," Clarke hummed thoughtfully, her finger moving to play with her bottom lip like it had been earlier, catching Lexa's attention briefly. "You seem trustworthy."

There was a moment where they just started at each other, both looks smouldering with what could only be arousal, and Clarke honestly thought Lexa was going to kiss her, press her up against the glass and just take her there and then.

But then Lexa looked away with a minute shake of her head, her tongue poking out to wet her lips. "Maybe you should take that cab."

Clarke tried to suppress her disappointment, nodding once and taking a step back. "Yeah," She smiled, pulling Lexa's attention back to her.

"Okay," Lexa said.

"Okay." Clarke repeated, sparing Lexa on last glance before walking away, catching a faint 'all right' from Lexa as she walked away.

She was disappointed, she thought the whole exchange had gone well, and maybe it had, maybe it was Lexa's problem and not her total inability to flirt.

She brushed off what may well have been a rejection and headed home, texting Raven (who had gone home with Octavia to 'see her new place') telling her she was heading home and she would see her tomorrow.

The apartment Lexa had found her was beautiful, spaciest but not too big and it had a little balcony that Clarke would have killed for growing up.

She got changed as soon as she got in, thumbing the satin nightgown that had been left hanging on the back of the door, pulling it over her panties and bra, strolling out into the cool night air.

So she got rejected, so what? She had an apartment with a damn balcony, rejection from a pretty girl with effortless sex appeal and a nice suit didn't mean anything.

She gripped onto the railing, contemplating whether to go get a bottle of wine or not when her doorbell rang.

She figured it was probably Raven, considering she had just messaged the girl her address and Raven's apartment was just across the hall, but she was pleasantly surprised when she opened the door to Lexa leaning against the wall, her waistcoat undone and her hair more mused that it had been earlier.

Clarke grinned, thanking her lucky stars she had opted to stay in her underwear when Lexa's eyes slowly dragged down her body, her mouth opening and a little huff escaped her lips as she rolled her eyes, pushing herself off the wall and striding closer to Clarke.

Clarke met her halfway, her hands on Lexa's neck, their lips meeting a little rougher than she had initially expected.

Lexa's hands were pressing against her lower back as she walked them a little further into the apartment, kicking the door closed as they went.

Lexa lifted Clarke easily off the floor, allowing Clarke to wrapped her legs around her waist, she then pressed Clarke up against the closest wall, pressing their bodies together.

Honestly, Clarke had expected some kind of lust filled romp before Lexa got up and promptly left. And it was, the first time, the first time was raw and sweaty and everything Clarke expected Lexa to be.

The following time after that, however, was slow and soft, ghost of lips across skin instead of teeth, soft kisses as the other came undone.

There was something sensation about it that had Clarke's heart fluttering in her chest.

The last time was similar to the first, rough but there was still something there, something that Clarke knew she would over analyse later.

After the third round Clarke collapsed on top of Lexa, claiming that she would move once she had control of her limbs again, which make Lexa laugh gruffly, her hand coming up to rub Clarke's sweaty back.

"I do have to leave," Lexa said breathlessly. "But not for another hour."

Clarke situated her head more comfortable again Lexa's chest, listening to the thundering of the girls heart against her ribcage.

"Well, I am actually due back half an hour ago," Lexa admitted with a breathless laugh. "But I'm not up and leaving directly after… that."

Tilting her head back, Clarke looking up at Lexa, prompting the woman to look down at her. Lexa smiled, softer than she had been these past two days, her hand coming up to move Clarke's damp hair out of her face. "Because, wow, who knew the girl who can't flirt for shit was an absolute animal in the sack."

"And who knew the girl who tries to play it cool was a cuddler?"

"Cuddling released oxytocin and endorphins," Lexa said in a way of explanation. "I do have to leave though, I have to go over the plans for a job tomorrow. A job you will be fronting."

"Am I fronting 'cause I'm fucking the boss?" Clarke teased, pulling a laugh from Lexa.

"Well, it isn't because of your con skills, that's for damn sure."

"Hey!" Clarke pinched Lexa's side. "You can insult my abilities in bed but never insult my con skills, understand?"

"If I take it back will you forgive me?"

"Will you mean it?" Clarke shot back, rolling her eyes when Lexa pouted thoughtfully. "You are an obnoxious jerk."

"Aw, come on, sweetheart, at least be original. I get that daily."

"Don't you think that says something about you?"

"Probably," Lexa shrugged the shoulder Clarke wasn't lying on.

Clarke rolled her eyes, lying her head more comfortably against Lexa's chest, ghosting her fingers along the tattoo on Lexa's arm.

They didn't talk at all after that, mostly because Clarke fell asleep ten minutes after that. She wasn't surprised when she woke up and Lexa was gone, replaced by the pillow she had been lying on and a note telling Clarke to be at HQ by one the following afternoon.


End file.
